Knitted fabric



N. LEVIN KNITTED FABRIC July 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24,1947 INVENTOR.

N. LEVIN 2,515,720

KNITTED FABRIC July 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1947INVENTOR Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNITTEDFABRIC Nathan Levin, Trenton, N. .l.

Application June 24, 1947, Serial No. 756,694

8 Claims. .(Cl. 66-201) This invention is concerned with a new knittedfabric formed of a weft body yarn and of individual Walewise extendingpattern wrap yarns selectively .interknit with and plated on the bodyyarn stitches to form a design, and with a new method of operating anindependent needle knitting machine to make the said new fabric.

It is an object of this new invention to provide a new rib knittedfabric, preferably but not necessarily tubular, formed of a weft bodyyarn and of individual walewise extending pattern wrap yarns which areselectively plated on the body yarn stitches and which form loops ofwrap yarn only interknit with said plated loops.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new method of operatingan independent needle rib knitting machine, preferably but notnecessarily circular, in which the needles and the plating wrap fingersare operated to knit rib courses of body yarn stitches selectivelyplated with individual walewise extending wrap yarns and in which theneedles and the plating wrap fingers are operated to knit stitches ofwrap yarn only interknit with the said plated stitches.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of the invention takenin connection with theattached drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a stocking embodying the new fabric in the topthereof,

Figure 2 illustrates the stitches in detail,

Figure 3 illustrates a diagrammatic view of the method of operating theneedles and the fingers,

Figure 4 illustrates the position of the needles and fingers on line 4-4of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 illustrates the position of the needles and fingers on line 5-5of Figure 3.

As shown in Figure 1 there is a stockingv 6 having the usual leg andfoot and a top I decorated with the diamond shaped patterns 8. Obviouslythe patterned area may be of any selected size or shape within thelimits of the patterning scope of the machine making the fabric.Preferably the top I is of rib fabric and is of seamless tubularconstruction but the invention is not so limited, as the novel stitchconstruction, being within a Wale, is applicable to plain weft jerseyfabric as well and obviously is also applicable to flat knit fabricwhether of rib or of jersey construction. It is preferable to use ribfabric as the intervening rib wales tend to overcome the lengthening ofthe plain wales where the double wrap yarns stitches, one plated and oneof wrap yarn only, are selectively incorporated within a single courseof the rib fabric, as will be explained.

,In Figure 2 an enlarged diagrammatic view of the stitches of a portionof the fabric of the top 1, including the design 8, is shown.Illustrated is a rib fabric composed of the plain outside wales 9 and I0and the inside rib wales II and I2 all formed of the weft body yarn I3.The rib wales I I and I2 contain stitches of the weft body yarn I3exclusively whereas the plain wales 9 and It contain stitches of theweft body yarn I3 and successive chain stitches of the walewiseextending patterning wrap yarns I4 and I5, respectively individual tothe wales 9 and Ill. The section of fabric shown in Figure 2 has fivecomplete courses IS, IT, I8, I9 and of the weft body yarn I3, each fourwales in width. In the wale 9, in course It thereof, a plated stitch ZIof the wrap yarn I4 0n the body yarn I3 is formed, this plated stitch V2| being the beginning of the patterning in this wale in Figure 2 and isdrawn through a stitch of body yarn in the previous course. Also formedin the wale 9 and in the course It is the stitch 22 of wrap yarn I Ionly, which is drawn through the plated stitch 2 I, thus forming twostitches in wale 9, one plated with wrap yarn hi on body yarn I 3 and.one of Wrap yarn I4 only, in the single course I6 in which there aresingle stitches of Weft body yarn I3 only in the wales II], II and I2.In the wale III, in the course I6 thereof, it will be seen that the wrapyarn I5 is not interknitted but floats rearwardly thereof, thepatterning being absent from the course I6 and starting in the courseI'I.

Referring now to wale 9 again, it will be seen that the double wrapstitch structure, plated stitch H and wrap stitch 22, of course It isrepeated in the courses If, I8 and I9 and that in the course 20 thereare no wrap stitches, the wrap yarn I4 floating rearwardly of the bodyyarn stitch therein. The wrap yarn It continues to float rearwardly ofthe courses until it is selectively knitted into the wale 9 again at thepoint where patterning is desired, as is well understood in the art.Thus in the section of fabric shown in Figure 2, in the wale 9 thereof,the patterning extends for four courses and in these four courses offabric the wrap yarn has been formed into eight stitches, four of whichare plated on the body yarn and four of which are of wrap yarn only,with a plated wrap stitch and a stitch of Wrap yarn only drawntherethrough in each course.

In the wale II] the patterning is in the courses I! and I8 and in eachof these courses there are the plated stitches 2| of the wrap yarn I5 onthe body yarn I3 and the stitches 22 of the wrap yarn IE only. In thecourses preceding and succeeding the courses I! and It the wrap yarn Ifloats rearwardly of the fabric courses until it is again selectivelyknitted into the wale H] at points where patterning is desired.

It will be seen therefore that in those plain wales where the wrap yarnsare selectively knitted there are twice the number of stitches percourse than are knitted in each of the rib wales or in the non-patternedplain wales, and that for a given length of fabric the overall length ofeach wale is substantially the same, the extra stitches of the wrapyarns being forced to .open.

wider than the stitches of the body yarn and being forced toward eachother walewise due to the lesser number of stitches in the interveningrib wales. Thus the plated stitches and the stitches of wrap yarn onlyinterknit therewith in a single course are forced into a raised orembroidered relation to the body fabric and provide an upstandingpattern which is more effective than a pattern composed only of wrapplated stitches or a pattern composed only of stitches of wrap yarnonly. When the fabric is stretched coursewise the double wrap stitchstructure of this invention retains more of the complete pattern effectthan does either of the other two patterning stitch structuresimmediately above described.

Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the preferred method ofmanipulating the needles and the fingers of an independent circular ribknitting machine to form the fabric will now be described. The relationof the cylinder needles 2,3 and the dial needles 24 is the same as inthe usual circular independent needle rib machines. Fingers 25 equal innumber to the cylinder needles 23. and individually associated therewitheach carry a wrap yarn, such as I4 and I5, which yarns are likewiseindividually associated with a cylinder needle. These fingers 25 aredisposed within slots in a finger cylinder in the relation to theneedles 23 and 2 1 as shown inFigures 3 and 4. The fingers 25 are movedabout their pivot points from a position of rest, which is induced bythe spring 26, to the wrapping position of Figures 4 and 5, by means ofthe two finger operating cams 21 and 28, the return movement being madeby the spring 26. The action of the finger ends adjacent the cylinderneedle hooks to wrap a yarn around the same is well known in the art.

In Figure 3 there is a diagrammatic representation of the needles of acircular knitting machine. The cylinder needles 23 when they follow thedotted line path 29 throughout are raised at feed A, which is the mainknitting station, by the usual means to the level 3|, shown in Figure 4,where the old stitches of the body yarn I 3 are knitted off and newstitches formed of the body yarn as the needles .23 take the same andare drawn by the stitch cam 30 down to the stitch forming level beneaththe said cam. At this point, see Figure 4, the dial needles 24 are outand take the body yarn I3 to form rib stitches thereof in the usual way.

If it is desired to wrap selected cylinder needles 23 with wrap yarn atfeed A, then the selecting means, here shown as an inclined design wheel32, although any type of needle raising means may be used, raisesselected needles such as 33 from the dotted line needle path 29 to thedot and dash line needle path 34 and thus the selected needles 33 reachthe knitting level 3! at an earlier point than do-the non-selectedneedles.

It a At this earlier point the fingers 25 are all operated by the cam 21and accordingly the raised selected needles are each wrapped with itsassociated wrap yarn by means of the finger wrapping action. Theselected needles continue on and take the body yarn as described andfollowing the path 29 beneath the stitch cam 30 knit plated stitches ofwrap yarn on body yarn at thesame time that the non-selected cylinderneedles and the dial needles knit only the body yarn.

At feed B, which is an auxiliary knitting station, the dial needles arewithdrawn to the position of Figure 5 and do not knit. At this feednobody yarn is fed and knitting takes place only on the needles whichwere selected at feed A, this knitting being done with wrap yarn only.As the cylinder needles approach feed B along the needle path 29 afterhavin passed under stitch cam 30, a second needle selection is made byan inclined design wheel 35, which is similar to the means employed atfeed A, to raise to the level 3| at feed B, only the same needles 33which were raised at feed A where they knitted plated wrap stitchesthereon. The selected raised needles 33 now follow the dot dash lineneedle path 34 at feed B and as they pass beneath the finger cam 28 thelatter actuates all of the fingers 25, to the position of Figure 5, toagain wrap the same yarn around the same selected needles 33. Theselected needles continue on and join the needle path 29 to pass beneaththe stitch cam 36 thus knitting stitches of the wrap yarn only throughthe plated wrap stitches formed on these selected needles at the feed A.The stitch cam 36 is the normal cam on the machine used for clearing allthe cylinder needles in making the welt. It will be obvious that at feedB the dial needles being in withdrawn position do not knit and that thenon-selected cylinder needles which follow the dotted line needle path29 likewise do not knit as the path 29 at feed B does not go high enoughto clear the old loops below the needle latches, only the selectedneedles being raised by the design wheel 35 to a position to clear theirplated loops below their latches and to take wrap yarns, prior to theknitting of the same under the stitch drawing cam 36.

The above described action continues at feeds A and B to make the doublewrap rib patterned fabric previously described. Where no pattern isdesired there is no needle wrapping action at feeds A and B and only theusual rib'knitting takes place at feed A and no knittin at alt takesplace at feed B.

It will be noted in the fabric that the first wrap stitch is the platedstitch 2| through which the stitch of wrap yarn 22 is drawn. If howeverin starting a pattern a wrap stitch is formed at feed B on a selectedneedle before that needle forms a plated stitch at feed A that then thefirst wrap stitch in a patterned wale will be of wrap yarn only followedby a plated stitch which in turn will be followed by a stitch of wrapyarn only. It is immaterial as to which type of wrap stitch is the firstin the series within each wale of patterned wrap stitches.

It is within the scope of the present invention to have more than thetwo wrap stitches per course as the patterning stitch structure. Thiscan be done by duplicating the feed B so that there are at least twofeeds B to a single feed A in which event each feed B will form a stitchof the wrap yarn only on the selected needle which forms a plated stitchat feed A, so that within each course there will be at least three wrapstitches, one plated and two of wrap yarn only, The order of the feedsmay be such as to knit, in each course, first the plated stitch followedby the two stitches of wrap yarn only or to knit first a stitch of wrapyarn only followed in turn by a plated stitch and then by another stitchof wrap yarn only. Accordingly the number of wrap stitches per course offabric will depend upon how many feeds similar to B are placed on themachine to each regular feed Athereon.

This invention is an improvement over the fabric and the method ofmaking the same shown in United States Patents No. 1,907,185 and No.1,936,024.

I claim:

1. Seamless tubular fabric having courses and wales knit of body yarnstitches and ornamented at selected places with successive chainstitches knit of walewise extending wrap yarns which float rearwardly ofthe fabric between said places, in which the wrap yarns are knitted sothat alternate ones of said successive wrap yarn chain stitches areplated on walewise successive body yarn stitches for successive fabriccourses and so that the intervening ones of said successive wrap yarnchain stitches extend between said successive fabric courses as extrastitches of wrap yarn only interlooped walewise with said platedstitches.

2. Seamless tubular fabric having courses and wales knit of body yarnstitches and ornamented at selected places with successive chainstitches knit of walewise extending wrap yarns which float rearwardly ofthe fabricbetween said places, in which the wrap yarns are knitted sothat spaced ones of said successive wrap yarn chain stitches are platedon walewise successive body yarn stitches for successive fabric coursesand so that the intervening ones of said successive wrap yarn chainstitches extend between said successive fabric courses as extra stitchesof wrap yarn only interlooped walewise with said plated stitches.

3. Seamless tubular fabric having courses and s.

wales knit of body yarn stitches and ornamented at selected places withsuccessive chain stitches knit of walewise extending wrap yarns whichfloat rearwardly of the fabric between said places, in which the wrapyarns are knitted so that spaced ones of said successive wrap yarn chainstitches are knitted with walewise successive body yarn stitches forsuccessive fabric courses and so that the intervening ones of saidsuccessive wrap yarn chain stitches extend between said successivefabric courses as extra stitches of wrap yarn only interlooped walewisewith said spaced stitches.

4. Seamless tubular fabric having courses and wales knit of body yarnstitches and ornamented at selected places with successive chainstitches knit of walewise extending wrap yarns which float rearwardly ofthe fabric between said places, in Which the wrap yarns are knitted sothat spaced ones of the successive chain stitches made from one of saidwrap yarns are plated in a wale on successive body yarn stitches forsuccessive fabric courses and so that the intervening ones of said lastnamed successive chain stitches extend in said wale between saidsuccessive fabric courses as extra stitches of wrap yarn onlyinterlooped walewise with said plated stitches.

5. Seamless tubular fabric having courses and wales knit of body yarnstitches and ornamented at selected places with chain stitches knit ofwalewise extending wrap yarns which float rearwardly of the fabricbetween said places, in which the wrap yarns are knitted so that one ofsaid wrap yarn chain stitches is plated in a wale on a body yarn stitchof a fabric course and so that at least one other of said wrap yarnchain stitches extends in said wale between said fabric course and asuccessive fabric course as an extra stitch of wrap yarn onlyinterlooped walewise with said plated stitch and with a body yarn stitchof said wale in said successive course.

6. Seamless tubular fabric having courses and wales knit of body yarnstitches and ornamented at selected places of single wales with twotypes of ornamental wrap yarn stitches made with chain stitches knit ofwalewise extending wrap yarns which float rearwardly of the fabricbetween said places, in which the wrap yarns are knitted so that of thechain stitches made from one of said wrap yarns at least one chainstitch is plated on at least one body stitch in a wale to provide atleast one ornamental stitch of wrap yarn on body yarn in said wale andso that at least one other chain stitch of said last named chainstitches extends in said wale between at least one pair of successivebody yarn stitches as an extra stitch interlooped walewise with each ofsaid pair of successive body yarn stitches to also provide at least oneornamental extra stitch of wrap yarn only in said Wale.

7. Seamless tubular rib fabric having courses of inside rib and outsideplain wales knit of body yarn stitches and ornamented at selected placeswith successive chain stitches knit of walewise extending wrap yarnswhich float rearwardly of the fabric between said places, in which thewrap yarns are knitted so that spaced ones of said successive wrap yarnchain stitches are plated on walewise successive plain body yarnstitches for successive fabric courses and so that the intervening onesof said successive wrap yarn chain stitches extend between saidsuccessive fabric courses as extra stitches of wrap yarn onlyinterlooped walewise with said plated stitches.

' 8. A stocking provided with a top of tubular seamless fabric havingcourses and wales knit of body yarn stitches and ornamented at selectedplaces with successive chain stitches knit of walewise extending wrapyarns which float rearwardly of the fabric between said places, in whichthe wrap yarns are knitted so that spaced ones of said successive wrapyarn chain stitches are plated on walewise successive body yarn stitchesfor successive fabric courses and so that the intervening ones of saidsuccessive wrap yarn chain stitches extend between said successivefabric courses as extra stitches of wrap yarn only interlooped walewisewith said plated stitches.

NATHAN LEVIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Morton Aug. 29, 1933

